This invention relates to beds having side rails. More particularly, the invention is directed to a mattress sling for preventing injuries from occurring to bed occupants mainly because they or their appendages become lodged in a space or gap which exists or is created between the bed side rails and the bed mattress, or mattress support.
Hospitals, nursing homes, institutions and like patient care establishments utilize beds which typically have vertically movable side rails to prevent patients from falling out of beds, and to facilitate, for example, cleaning, removing and replacing bed sheets, mattressses and patients. When the side rails are raised and set in their normal working position, the lowermost side rails of even the best beds are in a horizontal position at or just above the upper plane of the mattress. In those instances where the lowermost side rail is above the plane of the mattress, even when the mattress is properly aligned, a hazardous space or gap exists between the mattress and lowermost side rail. Misalignment of the mattress increases the gap. When the lowermost side rail is at or below the upper plane of an aligned mattress, a hazardous gap is created by downward patient pressure on the mattress edge or by mattress misalignment.
It is too well known that because of these bed constructions and spaces or gaps, whether or not due to askew mattresses, bed occupants or patients who are asleep, cannot control or do not realize the significance of their movements, particularly the elderly, physically handicapped, mentally ill, restless or confused, often injure themselves when their bodies, arms, legs or chests become lodged between the bed side rails, or more commonly between a bed side rail and the bed, mattress or mattress support. Such patients needlessly suffer pressure marks, bruises, dislocated, fractured or broken bones, or still worse, as recently occurred in a well publicized successful 3.6 million dollar damage suit, due to head and neck lodgement, patients may lose conciousness and thereafter live in a permanent state of vegetation.
Heretofore, the only successful but often cruel and otherwise unnecessary means of preventing such injuries was to use straight jackets and other appendage restraint means and fasten these means to the beds.
It is a main object of this invention to provide means for preventing the above described and other injuries from occurring.
Another object of this invention is to provide a mattress sling for stabilizing and maintaining a mattress in proper position on a bed having side rails so that no gap or space can exist between lower bed side rails, and the bed, mattress, or mattress support.
Another object is to provide the above objectives while providing the bed occupant with freedom of movement, ventilation and visibility.